


The Proposal Scam

by Katlyn1948



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Humor, Marriage Proposal, Two Parter, based on a prompt, fake marriage proposals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:46:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26039671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katlyn1948/pseuds/Katlyn1948
Summary: An innocent night of fun turns into the perfect scheme filled with fake proposals and free food. But happens when the fake proposal stops and there is a real one on the horizon?
Relationships: Arya Stark/Gendry Waters
Comments: 24
Kudos: 122





	1. The Scheme

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Weltverbessererin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weltverbessererin/gifts).



> Because Welt-Verbessererin on tumblr created a beautiful mood board for this prompt, I had to write it! This is a quick two-parter one shot filled with humor and troupes for days!!! Enjoy!

The coupons Arya had laying on her nightstand were three days from expiration. She had completely forgotten about the them; just some consultation prize for winning third place at a minor archery contest. She didn’t even give them a second look when she threw them down on her nightstand, to collect dust for the last two and half months.

But when it was time for her to do her triannual cleaning of her room, she had noticed them.

They were for some fancy restaurant outside of King’s Landing for two free meals and her choice of an alcoholic beverage. It was so trivial; these coupons would end up going to waste because apparently her archery contest knew she didn’t anyone to go with.

Really, her love life could be better, but everyone she ever went on a date with were either boring or gross.

Dating was so hard, that or she just didn’t care. She preferred the latter.

Who could she give these coupons to?

There was her sister Sansa and her boyfriend Podrick, but they lived in Winterfell and it didn’t make sense for them to drive the three hours it took to get to King’s Landing for some ‘fancy’ food they could get up there.

She could with Meera and Bran, but they hated public displays of affection. It was a miracle they were even together, considering they never even really went on a proper date.

If anything, there was always Rickon and Lyanna, but they were only seventeen and the alcohol would be wasted.

So it was either the trash or…

But no…could she ask him? He was a new grad with barely two pennies to rub together and a free meal would be nice. Hells, Arya would go by herself, but the coupons were for two people and it would be nice to not go alone; it would be less awkward.

With a defeated sigh, Arya pulled out her phone and frantically tapped at the screen, asking the one the person she knew would be more than happy to get a free meal and free alcohol to boot. It didn’t take but a few minutes for her to get his reply; a resounding _YES_ glaring at the screen.

_Great, eight o’clock tomorrow night. I’ll make the reservations_

Arya wasn’t sure what to wear to a restaurant like “The Rolling Head.” From the reviews on the internet, it seemed like the fancy type were a tie would be a requirement. As she browsed through her closet of t-shirts and sweats, she was able to find a simple red dress, the one she hated wearing during her mother’s summer charity event three years ago.

She’d be lucky if it fit, considering it hasn’t seen the light of day since…and she did pack on about fifteen pounds during her last year of college. She had been eagerly trying to shed the weight, but between job hunting and working third shift at the diner across town, she rarely had time to work out.

Not to mention her ever growing exhaustion.

Grad school had kicked her ass and she was still trying to recover from the whiplash it had dealt. She thought it would be easy after she graduated with her masters but finding a job with her degree had proved harder than she thought.

Gendry wasn’t kidding when he said it was hard and he should know, he gradated a whole three years before her.

Pulling on the red dress was torture. It bunched in a few places and the seam on the side seemed as if it was going to bust, but at least it fit…barely. If anything, she could opt to wear the dress she wore to Gendry’s father’s funeral, but that would be a bit tactless.

She paired the dress with a pair of strappy heels, once again not worn since her mother’s charity event. They were in pristine condition, considering they worn only that once. Her hair and makeup were done simply; she didn’t need to go all out, just enough to be able to get into the place.

Once she was ready, she grabbed the coupons from her nightstand and walked out the door, hailing a taxi.

She and Gendry had agreed to meet there; he was coming from the shop anyway and wouldn’t have time to head back to his apartment to change. Luckily, the owner was smart enough to put a locker room in the shop, just in case unforeseen accidents would occur.

Her taxi pulled to a stop eighteen minutes later and Arya noticed the line that snaked around the restaurant. She’d be lying if she didn’t day she used her father’s status to get reservations for a restaurant that was typically booked six months out. She normally didn’t pull that tail, but the coupons were expiring, and she wanted to use them.

She spotted Gendry hovering by the door, glowering at the doorman, a very prominent scowl etched on his face.

“Hey.” She said as she came to stand beside him. He smelled fresh and the oil stained pants overalls he would typically wear were replaced with a pair of khaki pants and white button-down shirt. He had a simple back tie around his neck and usually untamed curls were slicked into a sleek hairstyle.

He turned to face her, his cheeks flushed with anger, “Hey.”

“Is there a problem?” She asked as she glanced between the flustered doorman and her brooding best friend.

“Ma’am I was-”

“Ugh.” She cut off the doorman. “Do I look like ma’am?”

“No sir…I mean ma’am! I’m sorry…I-I…”

Gendry rolled his eyes, “He said he couldn’t let me in without the main reservation holder, even though my name is on the list.”

“Are you serious?” She scoffed. “Okay…well, I’m Arya Stark and I have a reservation for _two,_ with Gendry Waters-Baratheon.”

The doorman’s eyes widen, “Oh Ms. Stark, I didn’t realize-”

“Yeah, a lot of people don’t realize… but it’s fine,” she glanced at his nametag. “Uh, Lommy.”

The doorman blushed, “Please, let me show you to your table.”

Arya and Gendry shuffled behind the doorman as he directed them towards their table. She had specifically requested a table in the back, away from prying eyes. She knew there would be big shot names at this restaurant who would most likely have a few paps following to get a photo op. Luckily, she was lesser known than some of her other siblings, but with her father being a prolific politician, she could still be easily recognized. But she figured her identity was safe; she was shut in.

“Arya this place is…wow. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten in something so…nice.” Gendry mussed as they took their seats.

Arya shrugged, “I’ve eaten at better.”

“Of course you have, little miss rich girl.” He joked.

She chucked a cloth napkin across the table hitting him in the face, “Hey, that was my parent’s money, not mine. And, yes, being a daughter of a famous politician, one gets to eat at fancy restaurants growing up.”

“So, what should I expect?”

“Too small portions sizes with too large of price.”

“Well thank the gods we have coupons.” He chuckled.

Arya scoffed, “Yeah, but it doesn’t even come with dessert, just the meal and then…one free alcoholic beverage.”

“Wow, even their coupons are cheap.”

Arya laughed, a little too loudly, and received some glares from the other patrons of the restaurant. All she could do was roll her eyes and feign an apology. Some of the people around them were just…too much. She and Gendry were a rowdy a bunch who preferred beers to cocktails and burgers to steaks. This ‘fancy’ restaurant was not cut of for them. But again, it was free food, and who was she to turn that down?

They started light conversation with Gendry talking about his day and how he got yelled at by some ‘Karen’ because her car wasn’t going to be ready at the time she wanted it to be ready. Arya reciprocated her own story of her shift at the diner the night before and how a very drunk customer came staggering in at one in the morning demanding he get a free strawberry milkshake and then proceeded to upchuck is drink all her apron.

“I smelt like vomit and stale beer the whole bus ride home.” She nearly gagged as she recounted her story.

Gendry made a face, “Ugh, I think I’d rather smell like motor oil the whole day than…that.”

She laughed and nodded, “I would agree with you there.”

Gendry smiled and it made her heart flutter.

They typically spent every waking minute with one another, but with her extra shifts at the diner to make ends meet and his constant workload at the shop, they had seen each a total of seven times in the last month. They made it a habit though, to text each other throughout their days just to keep in close contact. But Arya had to admit, she missed having her best friend around and they needed to make time to see each other.

It was miracle they both were able to come out tonight, but she finally had a night off and Gendry wasn’t working overnights until the following week, giving them the chance to finally meet up.

Granted, she probably should have chosen one of their favorite hang outs instead of this prestigious piece of shit restaurant.

“Good evening, my name is Wade, and I will be your server today. May I start you off with a glass of wine from our preferred wine selection for the night?”

The server had interrupted their conversation, pulling out a wine menu and shoving it into their faces.

“Actually, I’ll have whatever you have on tap.” Gendry said.

The server looked stunned, “I’m sorry sir, but we don’t have…that. We do carry a select few of bottled beers, however.”

“Okay, then bring me a Guinness…you do have that, don’t you?” He cocked an eyebrow at the server, waiting for his response.

“Yes, sir, we do. And for the lady?”

“I’ll take the same, thanks.”

The server’s eyes nearly bucked from his head. He was clearly not expecting that response, perhaps he assumed Arya was a bit more refined than her male counterpart. Oh wrong he was.

“Of course. I will let you mull over the menu while I bring those drinks.”

As soon as he scurried away, Gendry burst out into a hearty laugh, not caring if he got a few wayward glances, “What a pretentious asshole!”

“Aww, don’t blame him, he’s just doing his job. Blame the pressure the restaurant puts on these poor servers to act their most ‘prestigious selves’ while only getting paid three dollars an hour.”

“Okay, you’re right…but he was bit uptight.”

Arya snickered, “He was, wasn’t he?”

The server returned swiftly with their beers, placing two ice cold glasses and the bottles on the table. He took their order; they decided to go with the house special considering everything else on the menu sounded like it could be a scent for a bar of soap and scurried off with their order.

When their house special arrived, Gendry couldn’t help but laugh at how accurate Arya’s description of the dishes were. Too small a severing size with too big of price tag. All he had to do was take a bite and his meal would be over. Yet, when he did take a bite, it tasted of what he imagined wet grass and a stale burger would taste like. Not to mention, it still left his stomach rumbling.

Arya noticed the faces he made as he chewed his food, and she couldn’t help but think that perhaps she was thinking exactly what she was thinking…that this food was horrible. Not even her one free beer could wash the taste out of her mouth.

With their dishes pushed aside, only half eaten, and their palates ruined for the rest of eternity, all Arya cared for was to tip the server and get a real meal at some hole in the wall place.

“You think their dessert would be better?” Gendry asked as they waited for their server to come take their plates and the coupons she had stashed in her purse.

Arya shrugged, “Doubtful and I’m not paying $25 dollars for a slice of cheesecake to find out.”

“Come on, there has to be some way for us to weed out a free dessert.”

Arya laughed…the idea was ludicrous. Of course, she knew of a way to get them a free dessert out of the restaurant, but it was stupid. There was no way that Gendry would agree to such atrocities. But…she did want to know if that cheesecake was worth the $25 dollars they were advertising it for, and it could make up for the horrible dinner they had just consumed. But would he even jump on board with such a scheme? If it worked like she hoped it would, they could take this to any ‘fancy’ restaurant and scheme their way into a free meal or dessert. It was worth a try.

“Okay, I have an idea, but it’s so stupid.”

“Tell me.”

Arya swallowed, “Propose to me.”

“What!” Gendry nearly yelled, but he quickly reined himself in, remember their surroundings.

“Not for real, you idiot! Pretend to ask me to marry you. As a congratulations, the restaurant with either pay for our meal or, in our case since our meal is already free, give us a free dessert.” She simply explained.

Gendry scoffed, “And how do you suppose I pull that off? I don’t even have a ring!”

“Here,” she slipped her grandmother’s ring from her right hand and handed it to Gendry. “It’s not a diamond, I know, but it’s a ruby and it’s enough to fool people.”

“This is never going to work. You were the one in drama class in high school, not me.” He stammered as he took the ring from Arya’s hand.

“Then make it as believable as you can.” She waved him to the floor. “And speak up, people need to hear you.”

Gendry groaned, but lifted from his chair and cleared his throat.

“Arya Stark.” He said a bit stiff. “Will you do the honor of marrying me?”

He got down on one knee and held Arya’s ring up to her face. “Oh, darling! YES! A million times yes!”

She may have been a bit over dramatic, but they were in a bougie restaurant, so why not go all out?

Several pairs of eyes turned their way and there was a scattered applause as Arya threw herself into Gendry’s arms. He was obviously not expecting her small form to be thrown at him, but he caught her nonetheless, a laugh waiting to be released.

“A bit much, no?” he whispered into her ear.

“Yeah, but I think it worked.” She pulled away, cocking her head to let Gendry know to look behind him.

A man in a nice clad suit strode their way. He exuded authority and there was no mistaking that this was manager of the restaurant.

“I hear a congratulations are in order?” He clapped. “As a courtesy from us to you, please allow us to pay for your meal.”

“Actually,” Arya pulled out the coupons from her purse, passing it towards their server who had reappeared with their check. “We already have coupons for a free meal.”

“Then a dessert! Wade, get them two slices of our dedicate cheesecake to go.” He waved towards the server.

“Yes, sir.” And he was off, making his way towards the kitchens.

“Once again, congratulations!” The manager scurried off leaving Arya and Gendry to their own devices.

It didn’t take their server long to pack up the free dessert and Arya was sure to leave a good tip, even if they didn’t have to pay for their meal. They rose from their table and exited the restaurant, a few of their fellow patrons giving their congrats as they did so.

“I can’t believe that actually worked!” Arya squealed once they had left the restaurant.

“I know, crazy right? We should do it again.”

“What?”

“Think about it, Arry. Imagine all the free food we could get if we did that! The perfect heist.”

“A proposal scam…I like it.” She nodded. “Okay, I’m in. Once a month we pick a fancy place to eat and then…BAM, pull out our secret weapon and free food here we come.”

What could go wrong?


	2. The Very Real Proposal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part two!! 
> 
> this little fic was fun to write. I loved the prompt and probably would have made a muli-chapter fic if I had the energy and time to do it, but a two parter still isn't too bad. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

It had taken them a few weeks, but they eventually worked out the kinks in their plan. Arya would pick the restaurants and Gendry would buy a $20 dollar costume jewelry ring to play as her ‘engagement ring.’ She was sure to pick restaurants that weren’t as well known around King’s Landing, to avoid any paparazzi. She was lucky enough the first time to avoid them, but she didn’t want to press it.

They were still pretty high-end restaurants that had five-star reviews, and the prices were outrageous! She picked one particular restaurant where a plate of asparagus was $30 bucks! Of course, she saved that one for last, and depending on how long they were able to keep the façade going, it would be likely they would never get to experience it.

It was also agreed that they would only do this stint once a month.

Arya didn’t want to risk exposure. She wasn’t entirely sure if what they were doing was legal, but it was best not to find out.

It also seemed to work best around both of their schedules.

It was nearly a guarantee that they would both be off at least on Saturday a month, giving them the night to execute their plan. It had worked well the first time, and that was improvised. Now, with a well-executed plan, it was sure to go off without a hitch.

The month leading up to the first proposal scam, Arya hardly had any time off of work. She was working double shifts at the diner, and aside from Gendry’s hourly texts, she was absolutely miserable. There were the normal patrons who entered her diner on the regular, who gave her absolutely no trouble. Then there were the one-timers who just needed an afternoon snack. But then there were the ones who were out to make her life a living hell.

If it was not one thing, then it was another.

Pancakes were wrong or their drink was too warm, or their bacon was crispy enough.

Just a never-ending barrage of stupid excuses that got under her skin.

And then there was her boss, insistent of giving her crazy hours that left her sleep-deprived and exhausted. The night before her Saturday with Gendry, she had already worked a double and she wanted nothing more than to go home to her tiny apartment and wash off the stench of stale coffee and burnt bacon.

She was just hanging up her apron when her boss, Miranda, or as she called her ‘The Waif,’ stopped her in her tracks.

“Where are you going?”

Arya sighed, “Home. Lisa just got in and I’m headed out.”

“Mmm, no can do. Arabella called out and I need you to cover her shift.” She slipped her cherry red lollipop from her mouth and a ‘pop’ making Arya flinch at the sound.

“Miranda, I’ve worked nearly sixteen hours. I physically can’t work anymore.” she sighed. “Besides, Lisa is here, you don’t need more than one waitress to cover third shift.”

“Then I’ll have to dock your pay.” She simply shrugged.

Arya groaned. She couldn’t take it anymore.

For the last few months she’s been working like a mule just tying to make sure she had enough money to pay her rent and buy some food. She refused to ask her parents for money, wanting to forge her own way. But, she couldn’t keep subjecting herself to this torture!

She had a trust fund that she hadn’t dipped into; a gift given to all the Stark children once they graduated college. It was still sitting in an account for the last two years since she’s been in grad school. There was near twenty grand and would be enough to get her by until she found a proper job making the money she deserved to make with the degree she had worked her ass of to get.

And it would mean she could spend more time with Gendry.

He wasn’t nearly as overworked as she was and had an easier time getting off of work.

Despite their proposal scam, she had to admit, she liked the way it felt when she threw herself into his arms and planted that kiss on his cheek. It made her heartbeat faster and face flush darker, and she’d be lying if she said she didn’t like they way that if felt.

Maybe, just maybe, they could dare to go a little bolder and she would plant a kiss on his soft lips instead of his warm cheek.

Hanging up her apron for the last time, she looked at ‘The Waif’ dead in the eyes as said, “I quit.”

She stormed out the door, relieved that she would never have to go back to that diner again. It was hell, and she was sure she would never want to wish it upon her worst enemy.

It felt amazing!

She didn’t have to worry about 5 am wake up calls or 2 am drunkards waking into the diner to harass her. She could focus on finding full time job and scamming her way to free meals.

When she finally got home from her short bus ride, she collapsed into bed, sighing in relief as her body began to relax from the long torturous day she had. The only good thing about falling into slumber, was the fact that the next was Saturday and she and Gendry would be spending near the whole day together, not the mention their scheme would officially go into effect.

There was a thrill behind it, and not that she felt good about scheming people; she would never do it to the less unfortunate. But these were high-end restaurants that threw out the night’s special to usher in a new one for the next. She was sure a few free meals wouldn’t break their bank.

When she awoke the next morning, she saw the eight text messages Gendry had sent her.

He had been called into work for a few hours, so wouldn’t be by her place until the afternoon. It still left them plenty of time to hang out before making their way to the restaurant. He had asked if it was okay if he got ready at her place, and of course, she said it was no problem.

It left her time to pick up her place, not like it was messy. Just…it could be cleaner.

Her triannual cleaning had been interrupted by her discovery of the coupons and she just didn’t have the time nor the energy to pick up where she left off. She was sure Gendry wouldn’t care; he knew her lifestyle, but she still didn’t want to appear like a slob.

It took Arya longer than expected, apparently her apartment had been dirtier than she thought, and when she finally finished Gendry had made his appearance.

He had a bag slug over his shoulder when she answered the door, most likely his clothes for that night, and he was covered it oil stains. His white t-shirt was riddled with them and he had black soot on his face. He had just come from the shop, no time to clean up.

“Sorry, it was chance for extra money.” He said apologetically as he stepped passed her threshold.

Arya shrugged, “It’s okay, I get it.”

She watched as he placed his bag down on the sofa before moving to the en-suite kitchen to wash his hands from his day of work.

“So how did you enjoy your day off?” He asked as he dried his hands on the hand towel in her kitchen.

“I did, actually. I cleaned.”

Gendry furrowed his brows, “You cleaned…but you never clean.”

“I do to clean! Just…not as often as some normal adults.” She said sheepishly.

Gendry barked a laugh, “Well your apartment looks freshly cleaned.”

“Thanks…so I wanted to tell you something.” She said.

“What is it?” There was worry laced in his voice and Arya had to assure him it was nothing of that sorts.

“It’s nothing bad…actually it’s good news. I quit my job.”

Gendry’s face broke out into a wide grin. “Well it’s about damn time, Arry! At least now we do have something to celebrate tonight.”

“Gods, I know! I felt sooo good saying ‘I quit.’ You should have seen the look on Miranda’s face, I thought she was going to have a stroke!” Arya laughed.

It was a good feeling, knowing she didn’t have to wake up at the crack ass of dawn to drag herself into a job she absolutely despised. She would definitely be indulging tonight; maybe a two flutes of champagne versus one. Or, she could probably squeeze out a free dessert to go with their free meal, providing they actually got one.

“Then we should definitely make tonight worth celebrating.” Gendry gave him a swift kiss on the cheek before departing into her hallway bathroom with his bag in tow.

Her face flushed a bright red and she brought her fingers to her cheek, lingering on the feeling of where his lips had just been.

It wasn’t the first time Gendry had kissed Arya on the cheek, in fact they did it all the time. Growing up as they did, with being best friends, they were quite comfortable around one another. But with being as distant as they had been these last few months, the action felt foreign.

Arya made her way to her room to get herself ready for the evening.

She had gone out and bought a nice outfit, a simple blouse with a nice pair of pleather skinny pants and a pair of boots to match. She couldn’t stand the idea of wearing another dress to their ‘fake proposal’ and wanted to be as comfortable as possible.

Again, her hair was simple, just some loose curls that farmed her face with a very natural face of makeup.

When she exited her room, Gendry was ready, waiting for her on the couch. He was just in near the same outfit he had worn to their first outing. He still looked handsome and Arya had to keep her cheeks from turning a deep red.

“Are you ready?” He asked, stretching his arm out for her to take.

“I am.” She nodded and they made their way to his truck.

She was grateful he had offered to drive because she couldn’t afford the taxi fair to this restaurant. It was outside the city, a good forty-five minutes from where they first had their extravagant meal. It was safe bet, definitely away from any wandering paparazzi. She was sure that even if they were spotted by any lingering photo takers, that she would be able to play it off that she wasn’t Arya Stark, but why take that unnecessary risk?

No, better to be far away and unseen then have to maneuver around flocking vultures she’d been trying to avoid her whole life.

“We should hang out some more, now that you’ve quit your job and you have infinite amounts of time to spare.” Gendry suggested when they were just a few miles out from the restaurant.

“Yeah, we should. I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you to, Arry. It’s been a bit boring without you constantly bugging me around, and even though its only been a few months, its felt like much longer.”

Arya nodded, “It has. I guess we’ve both been out of touch. Life and all, I suspect.”

“Well then we will double celebrate…and don’t worry, even if our plan fails miserably and we don’t get a free meal, then I got us covered.”

Arya smiled. She did to. She had enough money to pile together in case their plan went astray. Yes, she was trying to scheme for a free meal, but that didn’t mean she was stupid. There was no way in seven hells she would bank on the fact that there was a minimal possibility.

“Great, then we’ll split the cost, if it comes down to that.”

They got to their table relatively quickly.

It was a fancy restaurant, and Arya didn’t want to take any chances so getting reservations a month in advanced helped.

Gendry surprised her by ordering champagne, they had a wide variety, but he went with the one that least likely to break their bank. He used her recent employment status as cause to celebrate, and she couldn’t deny the fact that it was good to sip on the bubbly basking in the fact that The Waif would never have to boss her around again.

Their meals were also the least expensive on the menu. Arya opted to order an appetizer has her meal, and Gendry went with the simplest meal he could find (and understand). And when it came time for dessert, they ordered a slice of decadent triple chocolate cake with salted caramel sauce to share.

Then it was time for them to put their scam into action.

“Are you sure about this?” Arya asked as Gendry prepared to make his ‘big speech.’

“Oh yeah, no turning back now Stark.” He smiled.

Gendry pulled out the fake ring from his pocket, clearing his throat to get Arya’s attention and of those around them.

“Arya Lyanna Stark.” He said. “I have been thinking about doing this for a while now.”

He rose from his chair and sank down onto one knee, “Will you do the honor of marrying me?”

Arya’s cheeks flushed. She knew this whole thing was fake, but it sure did feel real, and not because Gendry was on one knee holding a ring to her hand, but because his voice sound so genuine.

He had been practicing and it left her speechless.

“I-I…” She urged her brain to say something-anything! “Ye-yes. I will marry you.”

It was barely a whisper, but Gendry heard it well enough and slipped the fake ring on her left finger. He was going to a sweet kiss on the check, but Arya turned her head and her lips caught his. Gendry nearly froze, but Arya urged him, allowing her lips to fall in time with his.

They were sweet, with the chocolate cake they had just eaten, but also bitter as if salt had licked his lips before she did. It was deadly combination, one that Arya could savor for a lifetime, but just as quickly as the kiss had started, it ended, and Arya was brought back to the surrounding crowd congratulating their new status.

The manager showed up soon thereafter, insisting that their meal and dessert were paid for by compliments of management. Of course, they feigned their protests, saying that it was unnecessary.

“Nonsense! Please, the meal is on us.”

And how could they argue with that.

Once out of the restaurant and out of ear shot from anyone who could overhear, Gendry laughed in disbelief.

“Can you believe that worked?” He exclaimed.

“I know! It was definitely that kiss.” She tried to play it off, chalking up their scheme as the reason for her sudden impulse.

Gendry blushed, “Yeah, it…uh…was definitely convincing. We should do it at the other places as well, you know, to sell the performance.”

“Yeah,” She agreed, trying to keep her own flush hidden. “We should.”

And they did.

For ten months, Gendry and Arya went around King’s Landing’s most prestigious restaurants scheming their way to free meals all with their ‘Proposal Scam.’

It would be the same tactic, order a fancy dinner, maybe a few drinks and if they were felling up to it, a dessert. Then after their meals were safely consumed in their bellies, the scam would play out. He would kneel, she would feign tears, and they would give each other a kiss before the manager of the restaurant came about and offered their meal to be free.

But with each passing month and, in turn, each passing kiss, Arya found herself wanting to kiss Gendry outside of their monthly scheme. She would make it habit to make time for him, even with her new job working at the King’s Landing National Museum. It didn’t take up as near as much time as her lowly diner job did and it was doing something she had gone to school for.

Her weekends were for herself, and if Gendry had a weekend off, for him too.

They would stay at her place, eating pizza and playing video games or even having movie marathons of cheesy vampire flicks.

It was almost as if they were dating, expect without the kissing, or touching…or sex.

And it was becoming increasingly frustrating.

Every time their lips would touch during one of their schemes, Arya’s head exploded and with each passing month, it only grew stronger.

Their last scheme, the manager had to tap Gendry on the shoulder just to get them to stop making out in the middle of the damn restaurant. They were both losing their restraint and it was only a matter of time before Arya erupted. She knew how she felt about Gendry and she was pretty sure he felt the same way, given the intensity of their kisses only grew with each new scheme.

And the subtle nuances he would make drove her mad! Whether it was the brush of her thigh with his hand during move night or tucking her into bed whenever she fell asleep during one their many late-night conversations. He was showing he cared for, but she just wanted him to say it.

It was becoming all too much, and Arya was thinking about stopping the scheme altogether.

Maybe they should’ve stopped it sooner, because it can only end in heartbreak.

She was working on the plan for the next restaurant hit when her phone began buzzing at her side.

The screen illuminated, showing the bright picture of her mother. Sighing, she hit the green answer button, answering the call.

“Hello?” she said a bit half-heartedly. She rarely liked having conversations with her mother because it nearly always ended in a fight.

“Darling, how are you?”

“Fine…just going over some plans for the new exhibit the museum is thinking of creating. What’s up?” The sooner she got her mother talk about why she was really calling, the sooner she would be able to hang up the call.

“I wanted to know if you are free next Saturday night. Your father and I will be in town for some political recon and we would love to have dinner with you.”

Arya scrabbled to her calendar. She knew that next Saturday was only Saturday Gendry had off that month and they were going to hit their eleventh restaurant. It was a brand new one that had just opened a few months prior and they’ve yet to hit it.

“Uhh…I think I’m supposed to meet up with Gendry that day. It’s his only day off.”

“Well then bring him along! I know I’ve never much cared for him, but he does seem like a sweet boy.”

“Umm…” It wouldn’t be a bad idea. Her parents would mostly likely pay for the meal and it would give them a break from scheming. “Okay, I ask him.”

“Perfect! We will make reservations for four at that new restaurant with the Bravvossi cuisine…what is it called…um…”

“The Faceless Men.”

“Right! So, I will let your father know. See you then, sweetheart.”

Arya nodded, “Yeah, you to. Bye mother.”

She ended the call and immediately texted Gendry.

_Change of plans. We are having dinner with my parents next Saturday._

_Cool. I’ll remember to wear my absolute best then…for your mother._

Arya rolled her eyes, _Get over yourself! She was the one who invited you._

_You owe me, Arry! I mean it!_

_Okay, okay! I’ll buy you a twelve pack_

_Better make it two, if it means an evening with your mother._

_Deal._

She shook her head. She knew Gendry didn’t quite like her mother, but she didn’t blame him. Her mother never really made it easy for Gendry growing up. She always judged him, even if he wasn’t the one who deserved it. It had gotten a little better after Robert died; she guessed her mother realized it was Gendry’s fault, but his father’s.

Arya knew it would be an interesting evening and could only hope that her mother stayed on her best behavior.

The night of dinner had come sooner than Arya anticipated. She had some reserves seeing her parents and having Gendry tag along, she just didn’t want the evening to be ruined by mother’s constant beratements.

It was, of course, no guarantee as to what her mother would say and to whom.

That’s why she bought a new dress just for the night. Well, that and her mother insisted.

It was a red cocktail dress with sleeves that fell off the shoulders and built in push-up bra that would make her boobs look good for days! It was definitely form fitting, but it was nice, and she usually didn’t dress up, so why not go all out. It may be a tad too much, but it would suit her mother.

She did warn Gendry to actually wear a suit this time and his response was, ‘like with a tie?’

She had hoped he heeded her warning; at least her mother couldn’t berate them on their outfits.

Her hair had also gotten longer in their time scheming and she opted not to cut it like last time. It had been a while since she hair past her shoulders and she was going to revel in it. There was no harm on adding soft bouncing curls, pinning it halfway to let some hair cascade down her back. She applied light makeup, choosing to wear a lipstick the same shade as her dress.

Of course, it also meant heels would be a definite factor.

Despite herself, she had also bought a brand-new pair to go with her dress. They were black, of course, and fastened at the ankle, allowing her freshly painted toes to peek through.

She was ready by the time a knock came from her apartment door.

Gendry was picking her up and they were to ride to the restaurant together. She was curious to see what he had chosen to wear and nearly gasp at the sight of him when she threw her door open.

He was wearing an all back suit with a black dress shirt and black tie. He had gotten a haircut, slicking back his longer hair at the top. And he was freshly shaved. No more was the five o’clock shadow he was sporting just a few days prior. No, before Arya was a brand-new Gendry.

“Wow! You look hot.” She hadn’t meant to say those words out loud, but she did, and it caused Gendry to let out a hearty laugh.

“Thanks! You don’t look too bad yourself. I dare say, sexy?” There was hint of a growl as he said the word, and Arya couldn’t hide the flush that had creeped up her neck and onto her cheeks.

“Yeah…okay.” She rolled her eyes, trying to play it off. “Let’s go or we are going to be late.”

They arrived at the restaurant just on time.

The place was crowded, and the large interior was filled with people. There were celebrities and important diplomats, anyone Arya could think of was there. It was definitely a popular place, considering. But that meant it would be crawling with media wanting the latest scoop on some highlife celeb.

She took ahold of Gendry’s hand and pulled him to the entrance, giving her name and ID to allow them in. Her mother had mentioned it was popular place, and for the first time since they started their ‘Proposal Scam,’ she was glad they hadn’t chosen this place.

Her parents were in the middle of large dining area, with other scattered tables around them filled with people she could only wish to meet.

“Mother, father.” She gave them each a hug before taking her seat. Gendry gave her father a strong shake and polity pulled her mother’s chair out for her to take. “It’s so good to see you!”

“No, darling, it’s good to see you! You look beautiful. I guess that new job isn’t stressing you out.” Her mother said.

Arya shook her head, “No, not at all! Not like the diner.”

“And Gendry,” her mother turned her gaze to her best friend sitting beside her, “You look well. I hope all is going well at the shop.”

If Arya didn’t see it with her own eyes, she would have never believed it. Her mother was being _nice_ …to Gendry.

“Yes, Mrs. Stark, it is. But I’ll be leaving the shop soon. I just got a job at an engineering firm in downtown King’s Landing.” He simply stated.

“That’s great news, lad!” Her father boasted.

Arya turned to Gendry, surprise etched on her face, “You didn’t tell me that.”

“Well, I wasn’t sure if I had gotten it until today. I wanted to surprise you.”

“Well, I’m surprised…but I’m happy for you.” She pulled him into a hug, giving him a tight squeeze.

“Yes, Gendry, that is wonderful news!” Her mother chimed, and once again, Arya was left dumbfounded.

Throughout the night, her mother was well behaved, and it was almost as if she had treated Gendry with this level of respect his whole life. She was beginning to wonder if her real mother was abducted by aliens and they replaced her with the woman in front of her. She wasn’t, complaining, it was just baffling to see.

They had genuine conversations and by the time dessert had been rolled out, Gendry had her mother laughing at some crude joke not meant for ears of a woman like her mother.

It was going so well; Arya had remained mostly silent throughout the night. 

She wanted to revel in this newfound understanding her mother and Gendry now had. It was somewhat entertaining.

“Well this has been a delightful meal.” Her mother mussed as soon as their dessert dishes were swept away.

“It has.” She agreed, her own belly full of delicious food and expensive wine.

“I bet I make it better.” Gendry suddenly said.

“Wha-”

He lifted from his chair, pulling Arya from hers so that she was now standing along with him. There was a hushed silence that suddenly fell around the room and most everyone’s eyes were on them. It was a bit uncomfortable, to be the center of attention, but Arya really couldn’t care less. Her attention was solely on her best friend, her curiosity peeking as to what he was about to do.

Slowly he knelt to one knee and Arya’s heart stopped.

“Arya…Arry, I asked your parents to come tonight.”

“What? Why would you-what are you doing?”

“These past year has been a crazy one and it took me so long to figure out that every single time I would pretend to ask you to marry me that I wished it had been real. All those improvised kisses, I never wanted them to stop. Sure, we decided to do that to get a few free meals or maybe a free dessert, but after that second night, I wanted to take you home and keep on pretending. I know this is sudden and we technically aren’t dating, but will you marry me…for real?”

Gendry pulled out a velvet box from his suit, opening it to reveal a very real diamond, and not just any diamond, but his late mother’s diamond. The one he had told her his grandfather gave to his grandmother and then to his mother. She had seen it couple of times, even sneaked it onto her finger to see what it would like, but never in a million years did she think that Gendry would give it to her.

“I-I…what….oh…” Her mind was going a million miles a second and everything that had happened over the last ten months came crashing to her. Of course she wanted to marry Gendry! Oh how many times she wanted each of his fake proposals to be real, yet with him kneeling in front of her, with a very real ring she couldn’t believe it.

With a soft smile, she leaned down and gave him a soft kiss, “Of course I’ll marry you…for real.”

Gendry swiftly placed the ring on her finger and swept her into his arms.

There was applause for the other patrons and media began to swarm around their table. Luckily, the restaurant had good security measures in plan, and kept them at bay. She didn’t want her very real engagement to be plastered on news outlets, and even if they did, she was sure her father would make sure they didn’t stay in the spotlight for long.

It was unbelievable and she had to take several looks at her finger to remind her it was real.

“You two knew…this whole time?”

Catelyn nodded, “Yes dear, we knew. Gendry called us several months ago and explained everything to us. I must say, I was bit disappointed to hear that you were cheating yourself to a free meal but knew only you could think of such a ludicrous plan.”

“And you gave your permission?”

“Well your father said yes immediately, but it took me a little more convincing.” She smiled.

“That’s why you were so nice to him! Oh my gods.”

Catelyn laughed, “Darling, revel in this feeling. I know I certainly did. I already starting planning!”

Arya shook her head and gave her mother a peck on the cheek, “Thank you.”

As they exited the restaurant and walked back to Gendry’s truck, Arya couldn’t help but feel elated.

“You’re a sneak, you know that? Had me fooled.”

“Well, I figured you would have never expected it.”

She laughed, “I didn’t! I literally had a heart attack.”

“Well…at least know we can stop scamming restaurants.”

“What! No! Gendry we are actually engaged. We can fool them even better now.” She explained.

“Only you can see this as an opportunity.” He shook his head, a smile creeping to his lips.

Arya shrugged, “What can I say, it was a good scam.”

“Well, if means I get to propose to you all over again and have it be real, then I’m in.”

She smiled wickedly, “I have the perfectly place.”


End file.
